Anti-Police Rhetoric Leads to Rise in Violent Crime

“For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” —Newton’s Third Law of Motion

It may not be equal, but America is seeing there is certainly an opposite reaction to the demonization of law enforcement by the Obama administration and leaders of the major American cities that have been run by liberal Democrats for decades. And that reaction is a deadly one.

The problem is frequently referred to as the “Ferguson effect,” in reference to the riots in Ferguson, Missouri, following the shooting death of a black man, Michael Brown, by a white police officer after Brown’s strong-arm robbery and assault on that officer. Police are increasingly hesitant to contend with those possibly engaged in criminal activity, lest they’re blamed for any resulting violence and face the end of their career, or even prosecution. Police officers report being surrounded by black youths and being recorded even as they’re taunted.

While correlation is not causation, it’s hard to ignore the fact that, following the sensationalized media coverage of the deaths of several black men while in police custody (Brown, Freddie Gray of Baltimore, Eric Garner of New York, all of whom had criminal records), and the subsequent drop-off in police engagement in high-crime neighborhoods, there has been a drastic spike in violent crime across the nation. In Chicago, homicides are up 19% for the year. In Washington, DC, homicides are up 44%. They’re up 62% in Milwaukee and 73% in Nashville, and other major cities have seen similar spikes.

According to FBI Director James Comey, recently addressing a group of police chiefs, “Some part of what is going on is likely a chill wind that has blown through law enforcement over the last year. That wind is made up of a whole series of viral videos and the public outcry that followed them.” He then asked rhetorically, “In today’s YouTube world, are officers reluctant to get out of their cars and do the work that reduces violent crime?”

These statements earned him a rebuke from the Obama White House, which adamantly disagreed with Comey’s conclusions — after all, Obama is freeing thousands of felons and pushing for an end to mandatory sentencing laws. Obama’s reaction is not unexpected, considering an acknowledgment of this reality would lay a measure of responsibility at the feet of the administration, and Obama himself. Both have played a role in stoking the anti-police sentiment that has deepened mistrust among many in urban, minority communities.

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